Arrangement oe valves



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERASTUS W. ELLSWORTH, OF EAST IVINDSOR HILL, CONNECTICUT.

ARRANGEMENT 0F VALVES, &',C., IN SIPI-ION-RAMS.

Speccaton of Letters E'atent No.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERAsTUs WV. ELLswoR'rH, of East IVindsor Hill, in the county of Hartford and State ot Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Siphon-Rams, applicable also to the common hydraulic ram; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription thereof, reterence being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters oit' reference marked thereon.

The nature of my improvement consists in a new inode ot arranging and operating the valves of the water-ram, with a view to greater durability, more economical action, and greater facility of regulation and repair than have hitherto been attained.

To enable others skilled in the art, to make and use my improvement, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation-irst with reference to the siphonram for which it is especially intended and adapted. In doing so, it will be necessary at the outset to refer to a siphOn rain for which I obtained Letters-Patent of the United States dated the sixth day of December eight-een hundred and forty five, and numbered four thousand two hundred and ninety six. A sectional sketch of that machine so tar as is necessary to exhibit its mode of action is herewith given in the accompanying drawings-Figure l-where A, and B, indicate respectively the long and short legs of a siphon which connect at top with a circular horizontal plate and coinmunicate under the dome F, which is flanged packed and bolted to said plate. In said dome is a perpendicular partition which divides the cavity into two chambers. The pipe B, and the valves C, D, constitute a water ram, the suction of the water in A, after the pipes have been filled through G, operating the ram and driving a portion of the water which enters at the foot of B, up and out at H; the two chambers D, and E, of the dome contain air and maintain a continuous flow through the pipes H and A, respectively. The length of stroke of the main valve C, is regulated by a little crank having a handle outside at J.

My improvements are made with a view to diminish the extent of packed and bolted joints-to render filling the Siphon more convenient, to make the valves more durable and more easily regulated--and to render the action of all the working parts visi- 16,178, dated December 9, 1856.

ble, and consequently more readily intelligible. The principles of the above described machine are thereby embodied in a new form, upon which new Storm I base my present petition for Letters Patent.

A perpendicular section of my improvefnent is seen at Fig. 2, where corresponding parts are lettered as in Fig. l. G, is a parallelepipedal box or chest for containing the valves, and its cavity is divided by two inclined partitions I and K, through which are valve openings. Through the upper side of the chest also are openings at L, and M, which communicate respectively with the tubular air chambers E, andrD, The valves C, and D are clack valves, with leather face and hinge, and metal back. The main valve C, is so hung that it may command either of the two openings I, or L-it is made of a width nearly equal to the horizontal depth of the valve-chest, so that water going the route B, I, L, A, passes mostly around that edge of the valve which is farthest from the hinge. At N, a horizontal shaft enters the chest through a stuing box and is expanded, within, into a blade which in form and action resembles an ordinary key in a lock. On one side ot this blade is a projection which when the key is turned to the right opens the valve D: when turned to the left, the blade approaches the edge of valve C.

Now suppose the apparatus to be set up in proper location, and that it be desired to fill the siphon preparatory to starting. Let H, be connected with a reservoir containing a little water and let the key N-Cr, be turned into the position idicated in Diagram 3. The water flows in the direction of the arrows, expelling the air from A. Now let the movement of the key be reversed until it comes to the position represented in Diagram 4. Valve D, closes, and the descent of the water in A acts by suction to elevate water from the source of supply at the foot of B, into B. The air which was previously in B, is thereby transferred over int-o A; a repetition of the manipulation with the key will now expel said air, and both legs of the siphon are then completely filled. The valve C, then commences beating against the opening L, and at each pulsation the momentum of th-e current in B, acts to drive a stream through D, `M, H.

The rapidity of beat, and the volume of water passed by the valves is governed by the position of NJ. The nearer the blade N-J is set to the edge of the valve C, the more the current which passes the valve is compressed, consequently the shorter the distance said valve drops before it is arrested and thrown up by said current. At the same time N-J never need touch C; and the object of the crank J, in Fig. l is t-hus accomplished without the wear incident to that fixture.

If, while the apparatus is in action, it be desired to stop it, move N-J to the left as shown in Diagram 5. C, is thereby closed, and all motion of water and valves ceases.

Then things are in t-he position last described starting is effected by turning the key (as represented in Diagram 6,) to the right, far enough to raise the valve D, a little for an instantmthen letting it drop to its bearing. By this means a current of water is started in the direction H, D, J, B, which is suddenly arrested by the closing of valve D; when the downward momentum acquired by the water in B, produces a transient vacuum under valve C, which, being more perfect than that occasioned by the weight of water in A, causes C, to drop open, and the pulsation of both valves immediately commences.

Thus it will be seen that the key N-J, in its relation to the valves D, C, accomplishes four distinct objectsz-lst. It affords the Loperator a facile method of filling the siphon at the commencement of operations, and of expelling any air that may afterward enter the pipes-and that, without the necessity of plugging either leg of the siphon. 2d. It regulates the beat of the valves, without subjecting them to friction or wear. 3d. lt offers a mode 0f stopping them. lith. It furnishes a method of start-ing them.

In constructing the machine for use, I make one of the perpendicular sides of the valve-chest with a plate of glass set in a metal frame which frame is secured to the chest by two or more bolts.

A tight joint is made between the glass and the edges of the chest and partitions by means of india rubber packing, or without packing by using true plate glass, and grinding the edges of the chest to an accurate plane. The ingress of air at the point is further guarded against by a groove or water channel in the packing or (if packing is not used) in the edge of the chest-said channel running around all that part of the joint where the pressure is at any time inward, and communicating freely only with that compartment of the chest-viz, above the valve D,-where the pressure is always outward.

The tubular airv vessel D has the advantage that by exposing only a small surface of water to the compressed air, said air is absorbed very slowly, and the minute bubbles which enter from the siphon when in action are more than suflicient to compensate the loss.

l contemplate operating the machine herein described with the pipes A, B, laid at any angle to suit location, and even simply as a common hydraulic-ram-in this latter case, as A, would be dispensed with, the exhaust chamber E, would be unnecessary, though it would not interfere.

Having, as I believe, fully described all that is essential to an understanding of the methods of constructing and operating my improved ram, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of either or both the valves of the ram with a governing key; said valves and key being constructed and arranged in the manner herein described, or in any similar manner whereby any or all of the same objects are accomplished, either in a siphon-ram or in a common hydraulicram.

lVitnesses:

N. SHIPMAN, WM. B. SMITH. 

